The official illustrated tie-in book to the film adaptation based on the novel by the bestselling author of The Da Vinci Code , directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks. Featuring more than 200 photos, drawings, and historical images, this official full-color companion book captures the film's amazing visuals, and details the complexity of bringing Dan Brown's bestselling thriller novel to the screen. In Angels & Demons , Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is summoned to Rome to embark on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, and deserted cathedrals. What he uncovers is unimaginable. The Illuminati, a secret society whose existence dates back to the 1700s, is alive, well, and murderously active-masterminding a deadly plot to blow up the Vatican. Angels & Demons: The Illustrated Movie Companion offers a behind-the-scenes look at the stunning production design and process of filming the famous locations featured in the movie. Director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer, and executive producer Todd Hallowell share how they accomplished this formidable task on such a tremendous scale, employing hundreds of artisans in Italy and Southern California. Contents include:

* In-progress shots of the re-creation of the Sistine Chapel and its artifacts

* Details on creating 8,000 books for the Vatican Archive library, including the Galileo book that holds the clue to the mystery

* Creation of intricate sets, down to precise architectural details, for St. Peter's Square, the Pantheon, and the Piazza Navona

* Never-before-seen storyboards and drawings used to plan the film's action scenes